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Credit: The Associated Press

Will Smith chases down Cam Newton. (AP Photo/Bob Leverone, File)

About five weeks after visiting with the Patriots, defensive end Will Smith has signed with the team.

Smith had 67.5 sacks in nine seasons with the Saints before tearing his ACL last year in training camp. He had a career-high 13 sacks in 2009 and averaged six quarterback takedowns per season from 2010-12. The Saints cut Smith in February as part of a salary cap purge.

Smith turns 33 in July and becomes a candidate to fill in behind Chandler Jones and Rob Ninkovich as the third defensive end on the depth chart. Michael Buchanan and Jake Bequette will also compete for reps, and the Patriots could draft a defensive end this weekend. Tomorrow's Herald will explain why defensive end is the Pats' third-greatest need in the draft.